


By Your Side

by themetgayla



Series: Swan Queen Week - Winter 2017 [3]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Brief Mentions Of Rape, Centred around Physical Absue, F/F, Not a Light Fic, Nurse!Regina, Swan Queen Week Winter 2017, implied rape, medical AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-02-01
Packaged: 2018-09-21 09:39:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9541883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themetgayla/pseuds/themetgayla
Summary: When Emma gets admitted into hospital because of physical abuse and won't admit it, her and her nurse, Regina, bond unexpectedly. Regina wants her to tell the truth over what happened, but Emma is reluctant. Will she confess, so her abuser can be caught? Or will she continue to live in denial?





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hey. This is my entry for SQ Week, Day Three: Medical AU. Sorry it's a day late, and because of that I'm posting the Soulmate AU right after this one.
> 
> Consider yourself warned: this fic is centred around physical abuse. There's a brief mention of rape, only one line or something.
> 
> Despite this, I hope you guys enjoy it. Or, at least I hope it makes you feel something. I don't know.. anyways, reviews are much appreciated and they genuinely make my day.

As Emma Swan stirred from her slumber, her eyelashes fluttered and her arm twitched. Her emerald eyes flickered open, trying to adjust to the harsh lighting of the hospital.

As soon as her hazy mind had registered where she was, she panicked. She tried to sit up in the hospital bed, but her arms and ribs screamed in protest. In her panic induced state, she thrashed around, causing burning shots of pain to spread like wildfire through her body.

She had to leave the hospital. He was coming for her, and she knew it. She had to run, had to escape before he found her.

As she cried out, a nurse came rushing in. The lady must have been in her late fifties, with greying hair and a short, fat body. The woman waddled over to Emma's bed and attempted to place a hand on the younger woman's arm to calm her, but the blonde shook her off.

"Help me! You have to let me go," Emma said frantically, her eyes wide and wild. Her eyes darted around the room, landing on the door in the corner. She tried again to sit up, but once again, she was held back by her injuries. She growled in frustration and lashed out.

"Calm down," the old nurse said, her voice hard. Emma flinched and shrank into the bed, whimpering slightly. As the nurse made to reach out, the blonde shouted again.

"No, don't touch me! Please! I'll do better. I'll be good," Emma cried, thick tears rolling down her pale cheeks.

At that moment, a second nurse came running in. "Ms Bridge, step away from the patient," Regina ordered, her eyes cold and tone clipped.

"But, I..." the older woman began, but was effectively silenced by the brunette holding up a hand.

"Leave the room," younger nurse demanded.

"Yes, Miss Mills." Nurse Bridge hurried from the room, her eyes downcast. As soon as she was gone, the brunette's eyes softened and her gaze swivelled to where Emma was whimpering on the bed.

As the nurse approached, the blonde's eyes widened again and she cowered backwards. "Don't, please," she whispered desperately.

Regina held up her hands in surrender, softening her features even more. "Emma, my name is Regina. I'm not going to hurt you, okay?" Cautiously, the brunette stepped closer, slowly inching towards the frightened blonde.

"Regina..." Emma whispered the name, finding it gave her a sense of relief that she couldn't explain.

"Am I okay to come closer, Emma?" Regina asked gently, moving forward another inch.

Emma stayed quiet, seemingly staring right through the nurse with panicked eyes. Regina reached out a hand and placed it on the younger woman's forearm. Initially, the blonde jumped at the contact, but her shoulders relaxed after a few seconds.

Regina looked surprised at the immediate reaction, and frowned down at where her hand was placed. "Emma? Can you hear me?" The nurse asked tentatively; she didn't want to scare the woman.

Emma nodded mutely, coming out of her daze. She glanced down at Regina's arm, and then looked the brunette in the eye, actually seeing her for the first time. "Regina," was all she whispered, and again, she relaxed.

"Am I allowed to sit down on the edge of your bed?" Regina asked, rubbing small circles on the skin under her thumb. It was covered in faded bruises that the brunette could only guess came from abuse.

"Yes," Emma said quietly, almost inaudibly.

"Do you know why you're here, Emma?" Regina started, biting her lip gently.

"I slipped." The blonde's words came out like a programmed machine, her voice mechanical.

"I think we both know that's not true," Regina prompted, furrowing her brows. The nurse had seen quite a few abused patients, and this was a classic reaction.

"No, it's true, I promise. I slipped," Emma said, nodding vigorously, eyes wide and pleading.

"What? Slipped into someone's fist?" Regina said, her tone tinged with annoyance. Emma flinched visibly at the words, and her shoulders began to shake, tears beginning to run down her face. "I'm sorry, Emma. That wasn't a very nice thing to say. Sorry," the nurse said, realising that had been a little harsh of her.

"I can't," Emma said suddenly, her voice quiet and slow.

"You can't what?" The brunette frowned in confusion, continuing to rub soothing circles on the woman's forearm.

"Tell you what happened," Emma explained timidly.

"And why is that?"

"Because he'll kill me. He will, Regina, he will," Emma insisted knowingly, her voice cracking at the end. The nurse's heart broke for the young woman before her. No one deserved what she was going through.

"I won't let that happen, Emma. If you tell us what happened, and who this man is, we can have him put in prison," Regina reassured, her voice confident. Although inside, her stomach was swirling like a storm. Her heart clenched at the sight of Emma, and she felt the beginnings of tears in the corners of her eyes. She blinked them away in a flash; she had to be strong for Emma, she couldn't get upset.

Emma shook her head. "He'll kill me," she repeated insistently.

"I was abused too, you know." Regina hadn't actually planned on revealing that; not many people knew. But for some reason, it had felt right to tell Emma. The nurse could relate to the blonde's situation all too well.

"You were?" Emma sounded surprised, her conflicted green eyes widening slightly.

"Yes. It was by my ex-boyfriend, Robin. He was always drunk and he would punch me and beat me up, saying nothing I did was right. One of the times he raped me led to pregnancy, and by some miracle, the baby was okay when I gave birth. I had to protect my son from him day and night, all while I was being put down for who I was. One day, I had the courage to tell my friend, and I was able to get help," Regina explained, her eyes flashing with hurt and pain at the memory. "But now, Robin is in prison, and I'm living happily with my son, who turned three a few days ago." The brunette's face lit up at the mention of her son, and Emma watched with wonder as the woman spoke. She truly was beautiful when she smiled.

"That's horrible, but it had a beautiful outcome," Emma whispered in awe. "How did you do it?" She asked.

"Do what?"

"Have to courage to speak up."

"It took me months to pluck up the courage. But the moment came when Robin nearly hit Henry. I had to do something. I knew I couldn't live with a man who might hurt my child," Regina said, her eyes wrought with conflicting emotions.

"That's amazing. You're amazing," Emma said, admiration lacing her tone. At the compliant, the nurse blushed profusely and looked down.

"I'm really not," she said, laughing awkwardly.

"Yes you are. You got out of it. You have a beautiful son. You're happy now, I hope." Emma gave Regina a soft smile. "But I can't escape. I've tried. He always finds me. Always takes me back. Beats me harder. Rapes me for longer, more often. I don't know how to escape, anymore." The blonde felt herself herself tear up once more, and she furiously wiped away the betraying tears in embarrassment.

"Yes, I did get out of it. But, it wasn't easy. It took a while, but I had friends there to help me through it. Don't you have friends who can help guide you through this? Have you talked to them about it?" Regina asked.

"I don't have any friends. He forbids me to have any," Emma said slowly, casting her eyes down to her lap, her cheeks burning with shame.

"Emma," Regina breathed quietly, her heart breaking. A few tears escaped her eyes and slipped down her cheeks. When Emma looked up and saw this, she gasped.

"Regina, what's wrong?" She asked, wonder if she had caused the woman to be upset. She panicked slightly, snatching her arm from the nurse's grasp and shrinking back. "I'm sorry if I made you upset. I'm stupid, I know. Please forgive me," Emma begged desperately.

"Emma, you didn't make me upset. I won't hurt you, you know." Regina grabbed the blonde's hand again and laced their fingers together. Emma felt a small surge of electricity course through her veins at the touch. Meeting the nurse's gaze, the blonde knew the brunette had felt it too.

At Regina's words of reassurance, Emma's shoulders relaxed again, and she sighed heavily. "I know, sorry."

"It's okay, you don't have to apologise."

"Sorry. I mean, okay." The younger woman's cheeks heated up with embarrassment at her mistake.

"Emma, I know it's hard, but you can her through this. The first step, is going to be telling me this man's name, so we can get him arrested," Regina explained gently, squeezing Emma's hand in comfort.

"B-But what if he comes and finds me?" Emma questioned, her brows furrowing in worry.

"I promise you that I won't let any harm come to you. I'll stay by your side through this, Emma. I'll be here for you," Regina assured, stroking the woman's knuckles.

Taking a deep breath, Emma spoke. "His name, is Killian Jones."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading. I know the ending is very open, and a half cliffhanger, but I felt like I should end it like that. Just to be awkward.
> 
> Kudos and reviews are love!


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